Update, Nov. 11, 6 a.m. According to scanner recordings reviewed by Berkeleyside, police initially were called to the Berkeley Bowl parking lot — at 2020 Oregon St. — for a report of a man in his 50s who pulled a gun on a security guard after leaving the grocery store with a sandwich. He walked away on Russell Street carrying a red lululemon bag, which police ultimately recovered, according to unconfirmed scanner reports.
Police called in a search dog from Emeryville PD to help find the man, but he ultimately got away.
Berkeleyside will update this post if more info comes in.
Update, 8:05 p.m. Police Lt. Mike Durbin told Berkeleyside, “Officers are still on scene processing evidence that was located during the block search. Suspect was not located.”
Original post, 7:30 p.m. Berkeley police are on the scene in South Berkeley looking for a man with a gun tied to a robbery between 5 and 6 p.m., according to authorities and community reports.
BPD watch commander Lt. Mike Durbin said officers are searching for an armed robbery suspect.
“We are asking residents and vehicles to stay out of the area of Ashby – Prince – Ellis – Harper, and for residents in that block to shelter in their homes and call us if they see or hear anything,” Durbin said.
Just before 6 p.m., police shut down Prince and Harper streets to all traffic, according to scanner reports.
According to one local resident at 6:45 p.m., “Police have Harper Street in S. Berkeley blocked off and weapons drawn, say it’s unsafe and to stay inside.”
Another reader told Berkeleyside she saw “multiple police cars … blocking Ellis Street … between Ashby and Prince, as well as MLK. They also had rifles at hand. No idea what’s going on.”
According to scanner traffic, police were responding to a robbery report involving an individual with a gun when an officer spotted someone run into a yard. Police set up a perimeter and asked for a police dog from another agency to aid in the search.
Berkeleyside will update this post if additional information it is provided.
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